Brooklyn Lawmakers, Kids, Parents Rally for More School Speed Cameras (Updated)

Pictured above: Thursday's rally for school speed cameras.

BROOKLYN, NY — A large group of lawmakers, parents, and kids took to the steps of City Hall on Thursday to call for speed cameras at every city school.

Under state law, Albany legislators must approve the installation of speed cameras in cities.

A total of 140 cameras have been authorized for New York City, all of which were installed by last September.

A 2015 analysis by WNYC showed that the number of tickets given out by the city's cameras fell as time passed, suggesting that drivers were slowing down. Furthermore, the station found that between September and December in 2014, crashes were down 13 percent in areas patrolled with cameras when compared to the same time period in 2013.

But Transportation Alternatives, a leading pedestrian and cyclist safety organization, estimates that cameras are in place at only 7 percent of the city's schools.

Legislation to authorize the coverage of all school zones is currently stuck in the Senate and Assembly's transportation committees. Those at Thursday's rally want it passed into law.

Asked if Democratic Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie supports the bill, a spokesman for the lawmaker told Patch, "We are discussing it with our members."

A spokesman for Republican Senate President John J. Flanagan did not return a request for comment.

"As a New Yorker, I've seen a lot," said Manhattan student Paul Webber, 11. "Not all cops are 100-percent vigilant. We need more enforcement on the government side."

Pictured: Paul Webber

"Some things are hard, and some things are not hard," said Councilman Brad Lander, whose district includes Park Slope, BaCoCa, Windsor Terrace and Kensington. A camera expansion, he added, "is a no-brainer."

"I think this is a really important piece of legislation for protecting everybody, especially school children," said Eric McClure, who heads the transportation committee for Brooklyn's Community Board 6.

Legislators from throughout the state may not understand how pressing the problem of pedestrian safety is in New York City, McClure said, adding that, "We're talking about human lives, and they need to act."

Paul Steely White, who heads Transportation Alternatives, said that drivers concerned about getting tickets can avoid them simply by slowing down.

He called for Albany lawmakers to "focus on what's important: it's the safety of our children, not he perceived inconvenience of motorists."

Pictured: Councilman Brad Lander speaks at Thursday's rally.